China's Strategic Arsenal: Worldview, Doctrine, and Systems

by James M. Smith (Editor), Paul J. Bolt (Editor), Nancy Gallagher (Contributor)

A critical look at how China’s growing strategic arsenal could impact a rapidly changing world order

China’s strategic capabilities and doctrine have historically differed from the United States’ and Russia’s. China has continued to modernize and expand its arsenal despite its policy of no first use, while the United States and Russia have decreased deployed weapons stocks.

This volume brings together an international group of distinguished scholars to provide a fresh assessment of China's strategic military capabilities, doctrines, and political perceptions in light of rapidly advancing technologies, an expanding and modernizing nuclear arsenal, and an increased great-power competition with the United States.

Analyzing China's strategic arsenal is critical for a deeper understanding of China’s relations with both its neighbors and the world. Without a doubt, China’s arsenal is growing in size and sophistication, but key uncertainties also lie ahead. Will China’s new capabilities and confidence lead it to be more assertive and take more risks? Will China’s nuclear traditions change as the strategic balance improves? Will China’s approach to military competition be guided by a notion of strategic stability or not? Will there be a strategic arms race with the United States? China's Strategic Arsenal provides a current understanding of these issues as we strive for a stable strategic future with China.

Genres: China

300 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[WiseB · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book comprises multiple contributors writing on their assessments of China's military capability, in particular on the nuclear related domain. Unless one is already very passionate or interested in military jargons and technologies in use by major states like the US, China and Russia, these articles from different experts will be an eye opener to various backgrounds and knowledge in China's military system and arsenal. It is also surprising that so much information were available from open sources about China on this matter, though not necessary the total picture, that one can read to get a macro picture of how China has been evolving and structuring its military organisation, people and capabilities in the area of surface, air, space, cyber and command & control.

[Dennis Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

China's Strategic Arsenal: Worldview, Doctrine, and Systems edited by James Smith and Paul Bolt is an interesting cumulation of essays on China's nuclear and related systems produced in the Trump 1 era. There are some essays that hold up pretty well, while others are increasingly dated at this stage. It is worth a read if you're a wonk or an academic trying to do your due diligence, but its at the edge of current relevance given just how much has changed, not only in China, but also within the U.S. Though its only about four years old, I wouldn't mind a revised edition if its going to inform current policy and security discussions.